Vlad Carter Saga
by TomboyishRandom
Summary: All i did was sit down with Darren Shan's book and write everything out, except i wrote it in my own characters point of veiw. Vlad Carter, Darren Shan's Girlfriend. read if your interested. Flames are accepted, like for all my stories.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, my name is Vlad Carter. I'm an average everyday girl, living an entirely normal life. Well at least people think I do. I'm a vampire as well as my father. I was born just after he became friends with a vampire. Six months into my newfound life, my father was turned. I remember him constantly telling me, even as a child, that as soon as I came of age, I would be turned myself.

Male AND female vampires cannot reproduce. After a vampires blood has been set loose in your blood stream, it attacks the reproductive system, making it completely useless. However, the privates can still be used.

Now, moving on. Here is a tale of my boyfriend Darren who becomes a Vampire in the strangest of ways.

Chapter 1 

He'd been in the toilets for ages. I, of course, being a girl could not go in the boys toilets, so, naturally you send a boy where he's meant to go. I sent Steve, Darren's best mate, in to get him.

'Darren! Hey Darren!' Steve shouted as he walked in, 'Have you fallen in or what?' it took a while for Darren to answer, so I really had thought he had fallen in.

'Hey Steve', Darren called back to my relief, 'I'm in here', and as he said that, I heard him kick the door. He was fine, and that made me happier.

'Did you puke?' Steve asked him as I laughed.

'Smooth, Steve, real smooth', I shouted inside as Darren cracked up laughing.

'Stung by a girl, mate', he said before answering Steve's question, 'and no'.

'Do you think your going to?' Steve said, over excited.

'Maybe', Darren shouted back as I heard a retarded noise sound from inside. It sounded like he had puked, but knowing Darren like I do, he might not have.

'Give my boots a polish while your down there', Steve laughed sarcastically and I knew immediately it was a fake, but when your standing, listening to a conversation and you can't see the people talking, you instantly have the wrong vision of everything.

'Did I miss anything in class?' Darren asked.

'Nah, just the usual crap!' Steve answered in his "you actually expect me to listen in class" voice.

'Did you do your history homework?' Darren asked as I gasped.

'Holy shit', I shouted.

'It doesn't have to be done until tomorrow, does it?' Steve continued, ignoring my outbreak.

'The day after tomorrow', Darren shouted, maybe so I could calm down more than Steve.

'Oh, even better', Steve said calming down, 'I thought…' Steve stopped and I almost ran inside to see if he was all right, because I couldn't hear Darren either. 'Hold on', he said as I held my hand over my heart, which was now beating a normal rate. 'Today's Thursday, The day after tomorrow would be…'

'Got you!' Darren yelled.

'Ow!' Steve yelled, 'That hurt'. My mind wondered a little and it really freaked me out to think what they were doing.

'Are you coming out?' Steve said, finally coming to the reason why I sent him in there in the first place.

'I thought I'd stay in here and admire the view', Darren said as I giggled.

'Quit messing', Steve said sadly, 'we were five to one down when I came in. we're probably six or seven down now, we need you', and I stood against the wall gaping.

'Cough, cough', I exclaimed inside.

'Oh, and Vlad wants to know if your alright', Steve said as if it didn't matter.

'Ok', he said was I smiled, 'I'll save you. I've scored a hat trick everyday this week. It'd be a pity to stop now', and my smile faded.

'Geez, I feel unloved now', I said as I walked off to the oval where Darren would be playing, not hearing what he had said as I was out of earshot.

They were eight to three down when he arrived, so I started cheering.

'Never fear, hot shot Shan is here', he shouted, waving at me as he ran onto the pitch. Everything was going great, he scored two points in at least two minutes, but the siren went, calling for everybody to come in. they lost nice to seven. I got up and walked over to Darren, Steve and two other of their friends, Tommy Jones and Alan Morris. Darren grabbed hold of my hand as Alan showed us something.

'Look what I found', he yelled, shoving a wet piece of paper under everybody's noses. Thank god it smelt like washing machine liquid, and not the toilet water.

'What is it?' Tommy said, snatching it.

'It's…' he started but Mr. Dalton shouted at us.

'You five! Inside!' he yelled.

'We're coming, Mr. Dalton!' Steve roared back. Thank our lucky stars that Steve is Mr. Dalton's bum buddy, (Teachers pet). We all ran inside, neither of us suspecting that the wet soggy piece of paper would change some of our lives for the worse.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

We had Mr. Dalton for history, we were learning about world war two. I love war; Darren didn't so wherever we had an assignment, I'd discuss the gory details with Steve, who, like me, loved war.

Maths, after lunch, Mr. Dalton for a second time, apparently Darren had had him earlier on in the day as well, making it three times for him. Steve was showing off, so Darren was telling me in the notes he was sending me. I thought it was rather funny. He had also asked me whether he should risk sending a note to Alan, asking to see the soggy piece of paper, my answer; Yes.

Darren passed the note, it seemed obvious to me that Alan had said no, because the two kept sending notes between each other. Alan caved after awhile and handed it to Tommy who then passed it on to me with a look of surprise on his face.

It read:

**Cirque Du Freak**

**For one week only – Cirque Du Freak!**

**See: **

**Sive and Seersa – the twisting twins!**

**The Snake Boy! Wolf Man! Gertha Teeth!**

**Larten Crepsley and his performing spider – Madam Octa!**

**Alexander Ribs! The Bearded Lady! Hans Hands!**

**Rhamus Twobellies – Worlds Fattest Man!**

Beneath all of that was the address for the ticket booth, and where and when the show was playing. I handed it over to Darren whose eyes lit up at the sight of the poster.

'Cirque Du Freak?' he muttered. He was reading through it before Mr. Dalton snatched the paper from his hand.

'What's this?' he snapped.

'It's an advert, sir'; Darren answered nervously.

'Where'd you get it?' he asked. I had never seen Mr. Dalton so angry, well, not since a girl in the front row of the class had written a dirty note to one of her friends and he had found it. 'Where'd you get it?'

'Sir, it's mine', Steve said stepping forward.

'Yours?' Mr. Dalton asked slowly, unsure of whether Steve actually owned it or whether he was just covering for Darren.

'I found it near a bus stop, sur', Steve said. 'Some old guy threw it away. I thought it looked interesting, so I picked it up. I was going to ask you about it later, at the end of class'.

'Oh', Mr. Dalton said, chuffed that someone would take the time out of his or her own time to ask him about a silly old flyer, he was still a little upset about it though. 'That's different, nothing wrong with an inquisitive mind. Sit down, Steve', and Steve did what he was told. I was just gaping at him.

Ding, Ding, Ding, Steve: two. Us: zero.

'Long ago, there used to be real freak shows', Mr Dalton said tapping the flyer which he had now stuck to the blackboard. 'Greedy con men crammed malformed people in cages and–'

'Sir, what's malformed mean?' somebody fro behind me asked.

'Someone who doesn't look ordinary', Mr. Dalton explained, 'A person with three arms or two noses; somebody with no legs; somebody very short, or very tall. The con men put these poor people – who were no different to you or me, except in looks – on display and called them freaks. They charged the public to stare at them and invited them to laugh and tease. They treated the so called "freaks" like animals. Paid them little, beat them, dressed them in rags, never allowed them to wash'.

I almost stood up and objected. I was staying at the Cirque and the last time I checked, I was he only one there that was forced to wash, by the performers none the less. They were clean freaks, and their manager, supplied them with a hefty amount of clothes.

'That's cruel, sir', a girl towards the front of the class commented.

'Yes', he nodded, 'Freak shows were cruel, monstrous creations. That's why I got angry when I saw this', he ripped the paper off of the blackboard and I had my arms crossed, clawing myself, just to stop myself from jumping up. 'They were banned years ago, but every so often you'll hear a rumour that they're still going strong'.

'Do you think the Cirque Du Freak is a real freak show?' Darren asked as I turned to look at him. Mr. Dalton read over the flyer again before answering.

'I doubt it, probably just a cruel hoax. Still if it was real, I hope nobody here would dream of going', he stated, looking around the class at all our innocent faces.

'Oh, no, sir', we all stated quickly.

'Because freak shows were terrible', he said, 'they pretended to be proper circuses, but they were cesspits of evil. Anybody who went to one would be just as bad as the people running it'. I was about to lose it. I was about to jump up and rip his head off. I lived there. Am I cesspit of evil? Pushing aside the whole half-Vampire thing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Cirque Du Freak.

'You'd have to be really twisted to go to one of these, sir', Steve agreed as I glared at him. I looked up just in time to see Steve mouth "We're going" to Darren and I smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

After school, the five of us, - Darren, Steve, Alan, Tommy and I – gathered on the oval and read over the flyer.

'It's got to be a fake', Darren stated, arms around my waist.

'Why?' Alan and I asked at the same time.

'They don't allow freak shows anymore', he answered, 'Wolf men and Snake boys were outlawed years ago. Mr. Dalton said so'.

'If Mr. Dalton told you it was healthy to jump off of a bridge would you do it?' I asked, looking up at him.

'It's not a fake', Alan insisted as I nodded in agreement.

'Where'd you get it?' Tommy asked.

'I stole it', Alan whispered, 'It belongs to my big brother'.

'You stole from Tony?' Darren gasped.

'Have you got a death wish?' I asked as I frowned at Alan.

'He won't know it was me', Alan defended, 'he had it in a pair of trousers that mum threw in the washing machine. I stuck a piece of paper in when I took it out. He'll just thing the ink washed off'.

'Smart', Steve agreed.

'Where did Tony get it?' Darren asked.

'There was a guy passing them out in the alley, one of the circus performers, a Mr. Crepsley', Alan said as I smiled. I would've had to do that if it wasn't for the fact that I was forced to go to school.

'The one with the spider?' Tommy asked.

'Yeah, only he didn't have the spider with him. It was night and Tony was on his way back from the pub', Alan said, remembering back to what his brother had said. 'Mr. Crepsley handed the paper to Tony and told him they were a travelling freak show who put on secret performances in towns and cities across the world. He said you had to have a flyer to buy the tickets and they only gave them to people they trust. Your not supposed to tell anyone about the show. I only found out because Tony was in high spirits – the way he gets when he drinks – he couldn't keep his mouth shut'.

'How much are the tickets?' Steve questioned.

'Fifteen pounds each', Alan answered sadly.

'Fifteen pounds!' everybody exclaimed as I just stood there silently.

'Nobody's going to pay fifteen pounds to see a bunch of freaks', Steve snorted as I got a little angry.

'I would', Darren said squeezing me.

'Me too', Tommy agreed.

'And me', Alan added.

'Same here, and you too Steve', I said nodding at him.

'Sure', Steve nodded, 'But we don't have fifteen pounds to throw away, so it's academic, isn't it?'

'What does academic mean?' Alan questioned.

'It means we can't afford the tickets, so it doesn't matter if we would buy them or not', Steve explained. 'It's easy to say you'll would buy something if you know you can't'.

'How much so we have?' Alan asked.

'Tuppence ha'penny', Darren joked, laughing into my shoulder, creating a warm patch.

'I'd love to go', Tommy said sadly. 'It sounds great', he looked over the picture again.

'Mr. Dalton didn't think much of it', Alan said.

'That's what I mean', Tommy added, 'If sir doesn't like it, it must be super. Anything that adults hate is normally brilliant'.

'Are you sure we don't have enough?' Darren asked, 'Maybe they have discounts for children?'

'I don't think children are allowed in', Alan said. I didn't think he was going to tell us how much he had, but ' Five pounds, seventy'.

'I've got twelve pounds exactly', Steve said happily.

'I have five pounds, eighty five pence', Tommy added.

'I have eight pounds, twenty five', Darren told us. It was now my turn.

'I already have my ticket', I said nervously. Everybody looked at me shocked. 'What?' I said awkwardly, 'I didn't want to tell anyone unless we were all actually going'.

'Well, Vlad's got her ticket. When we get our pocket money tomorrow, we can pool our…' But Alan interrupted Darren.

'But the tickets are nearly sold out', Alan said, 'the first show was yesterday. It finishes Tuesday. If we go, it'll have to be tomorrow night or Saturday, because our parents won't let us out any other night. The guy who gave Tony the flyer said the tickets for both these nights were almost gone. We'd have to buy them tonight'.

'Well, so much for that', Darren said, putting on a brave face.

'Maybe not', Steve said. 'My mum keeps a wad of money in a jar at home. I could borrow some and put it back when we get our pocket money'.

'You mean steal?' Darren asked angrily. He didn't like stealing, lying or fake friends.

'I mean **_borrow_**', Steve snapped. 'It's only stealing if you don't put it back. What do you say?'

'How would we get the tickets?' Tommy asked. 'It's a school night. We wouldn't be let out'.

'I can sneak out', Steve said. 'I'll buy them'.

'But Mr. Dalton snipped off the address', Darren reminded him.

'How will you know where to go?' I asked.

'I memorised it'; he grinned. 'Now, are we gonna stand here all night making excuses, or are we gonna go for it?' We all looked at each other, then one by one nodded silently. 'Right', Steve added, 'we hurry home, grab our money and meet back here. Tell your parents you forgot a book or something. We'll lump the money together and I'll add the rest from the pot at home'.

'What if you can't steal, I mean, **_borrow_** the money?' Darren asked.

Steve shrugged. 'Then the deals off, but we won't know unless we try. Now: hurry!' Steve sprinted away, and then moments later, Tommy and Alan ran off too, leaving Darren and I alone.

'I don't think you should go', Darren said coming around to face.

'Why, I'm not five Darren?' I answered, smiling sweetly.

'None of us have been to it before, it might be dangerous', he said as I reached my hands up and wrapped them around his neck.

'Darren, there's a first time for everything and everyone', I replied as he placed his forehead against mine.

'Your evil', he said smiling at me.

'Gotta love me', I said smiling back.

'Yah, it's written somewhere', he said giving me a kiss.

'That's not nice', I said pulling away. 'Anyway, you've got to go and get your money'. Darren picked up his bag and waved, before heading off in the same direction as the others, I waited till he was out of sight before heading back towards the school.

You see; I don't live here. I wasn't even born here. I used to live in Australia, but my father died and in his will, he had left custody to his friend, Larten Crepsley. My mother had died a few years earlier, a rabid dog, so my father kept saying.

My father had met Larten on one of his business trips, well that was the cover story. Honestly, he was going to Vampire Mountain for the first time, and he continued to meet Larten a few times after that.

When my mother died, Larten had agreed to look after me, if something fatal should happen to my father. Something did. Dad was going to meet Larten for one of the two's monthly drink-a-longs, and he was attacked, no one knows by what. But he was found and buried.

Larten Crepsley took me in and took me to Vampire Mountain. He had discussed his situation with the head Vampires, and I was to be turned into a half vampire and trailed. I passed with flying colours and was taught the way of the vampires.

We then left Vampire Mountain and Larten brought me here for an education, knowing exactly when the Cirque was to arrive. I've been here for almost a year now and the Cirque arrived. Thus, explaining how I got my ticket.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

I walked back and forth up the staff car park at the back of the school for awhile, till I figured now would be a good time to head back to the oval. When I got there, I noticed Steve.

'Hey, Steve', I said, giving him a quick hug.

'Hey, Vlad', he said rather uneasy as he stared at my fingertips.

'What's wrong?' I asked at the look on his face, a look of complete shock.

'Make me one!' Steve ordered.

'Steve, you know I can't cook', I joked, getting uneasy myself.

'You know what I'm talking about', Steve pushed.

'I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about', I said as Alan appeared.

'Hey, guys', Alan said cheerfully as he handed Steve his money.

'Hey, Alan', I smiled.

'Hey', Tommy said coming up from behind me.

'Hey guys', Darren shouted jogging up to us.

'Hey', I said giving him a quick kiss, to everybody's disgust.

'Grow up', Darren and I sad at Alan and Tommy's faces. Steve however just took Darren's money and stormed off.

'What's up with him?' Darren asked me as everybody said their goodbyes and walked off.

'He saw my birthmarks and freaked out', I said showing Darren my fingertips.

'He probably thinks you're a Vampire for something'; Darren joked as I laughed.

'I swear he watches and reads to much into that stuff', I said as I reached my hands up to wrap around his neck again.

'Your getting all touchy and feely all of a sudden', Darren stated placing his hands into the back pockets of my jeans.

'Is…that…such…a…bad…thing?' I said between kisses.

'I don't really care', he said as I smiled as he leant down and kissed me.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

The next morning, Darren, Alan, Tommy and I stood outside the gates, waiting for Steve, but he didn't show up before the bell went, so we were forced to go inside rather upset.

'I bet he's dossing', Tommy said. 'He couldn't get the tickets and now he doesn't want to face us'.

'Steve's not like that', Darren said.

'I hope he brings the flyer back', Alan said. 'Even if we can't go, I'd like to stick it over my bed and –'.

'You couldn't stick it up, Stupid!' Tommy laughed.

'Because Tony would see it', I added, before Alan went out right crazy on Tommy.

'Oh yeah', Alan said glumly.

Some of us were miserable in Geography. Basically, Alan, Tommy and Darren were depressed. I was going to the show, with our without a ticket. Darren was getting a lot of questions wrong and Mrs. Quinn picked up on it.

'Had a late night, Darren?' she asked.

'No, Mrs. Quinn', Darren lied.

'I think you did', she smiled, 'There are more bags under your eyes than in the local supermarket'. I didn't think it was a very funny joke, so I didn't laugh, but everybody else – including Darren – laughed.

The morning was going fast as I wrote song lyrics on the back of my geography book. Guess who walked in about five minutes before break, No one but Steve, with his mother in tow. Darren was whispering to him as he sat down in his seat, but I couldn't make heads or tails of what they were saying.

'That's enough, Darren!' Mrs. Quinn shouted grabbing the classes attention back. The bell rang for break before she could continue and we all rushed out, only to corner, or circle in this case, Steve to get the goods.

'Did you get the tickets?' Darren asked hopefully.

'Were you really at the dentists?' Tommy wanted to know.

'Where's my flyer?' Alan asked roughly.

'Patience boys, and girl, patience', Steve said pushing us away laughing before starting ton say something.

'All good things come to those who wait, I know', I muttered in annoyance as everybody cracked a smile.

'Come on, Steve, don't mess us around', Darren told him, 'did you get them or not?'

'Yes and…no', Steve said.

'What does that mean?' Tommy snorted.

'It means, I have good news, bad news and crazy news', he yelled, 'Which do you want to hear first?'

'Crazy news?' Darren asked, obviously confused. Steve pulled us off to the side of the yard, checked to make sure no one cared what we were doing, then told us.

'I got the money', he said, 'and sneaked out at seven when mum was on the phone. I hurried across town to the ticket booth, but do you know who was there when I arrived?'

'Who?' We asked in excitement.

'Mr. Dalton!' he said. 'He was there with a couple of policeman. They were dragging a guy out of the booth – it was only a small shed really – when suddenly there was this huge bang and a great cloud of smoke covered them all. When it cleared, the small guy had disappeared'. I had laughed inwardly as Alan asked his question.

'What did the police do?' Alan asked and Steve answered with a boring answer.

'Examined the shed, looked around a bit, then left', Steve muttered.

'They didn't see you?' Tommy asked the question on everybody's mind.

'No', Steve answered, 'I was well hidden'.

'So you didn't get the tickets?' Darren asked sadly, I couldn't help but smile at how sweet he looked.

'I didn't say that', Steve laughed, stirring me from my day-dream.

'You got them?' Darren gasped.

'I turned to leave', Steve continued, 'and found the small guy behind me. He was tiny and dressed in a long cloak which covered him from head to toe. He spotted the flyer in my hand, took it, and held out the tickets, I handed over the money and –'

'You got them!' we roared delightedly.

'Yes', he beamed, and then his face fell. 'But there was a catch, I told you there was bad news, remember?'

'What is it?' Darren asked.

'He only sold me two', Steve said. 'I had the money for four, but he wouldn't take it. he didn't say anything just tapped the bit on the flyer about "certain reservations", then handed me a card which said the Cirque Du Freak only sold two tickers per flyer. I offered him extra money – I had nearly seventy pounds in total – but he wouldn't accept it'.

'He only sold you two tickets?' Tommy asked terrified that he was telling the truth.

'But that means…' Alan began.

'Only two of us can go, taking out Vlad who already has one', Steve finished. He looked around at us grimly. 'Two of us will have to stay home'.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

It was Friday afternoon, the end of school for another week and the start of the weekend that no one but Steve and myself were actually looking forward to. Steve Leonard, Tommy Jones, Alan Morris, Darren Shan and myself, Vlad Carter all hung around the slightly empty playground.

'It's not fair', Alan groaned. 'Who ever heard of a circus only letting you buy two tickets, it's stupid!' We all agreed with him, but there was nothing we could do about it apart from stand around and stub out the toes of our shoes in the dirt look miserable. Finally Alan broke the awful silence that had fallen.

'So who gets the tickets?' Alan asked, as I nodded. We looked at each other and shook our heads uncertainly.

'Well, Steve **_has _**to get one', Darren said simply. 'he put in more money than the rest of us, and he went to buy them, so he has to get one, agreed?'

'Agreed', Tommy said.

'Agreed', Alan said grumpily. He would've argued if it wasn't for the fact that what Darren had said was true and the right thing to do. Steve smiled and took one of the tickets.

'Who gets to go with me?' he asked with a smile.

'I brought in the flyer', Alan yelled quickly.

'Nuts to that', Darren told him. 'Steve should choose'.

'Not on your life', Tommy laughed. 'You're his best friend, if we let him pick, he'd pick you. I say we fight for it. I have my boxing gloves at home'.

'No way!' Alan squeaked. Alan was the smallest of the group and was also the weakest. If in any case, against a baby, Alan would lose a fight.

'I don't want to fight either', Darren stated.

'Pick straws?' I suggested, but Tommy shook his head. Everybody continued to bounce out idea's, but none came out so far that everybody agreed on.

'I know what to do', Steve said as he pulled out his empty lunch box, and a few pieces of paper. he continued onto cutting the paper to pieces roughly the same size as the ticket and dumped the paper in his lunch box. 'Here's how it works', he said, holding up the second ticket, 'I put this in, put the top on and shake it about, Ok?' we all nodded. 'You stand side by side and I'll throw the bits of paper over your heads. Whoever gets the ticket wins. The winner and me will give the other two their money back when we can afford it. Is that fair enough, or does somebody have a better idea?'

'Sounds good to me', Darren smiled.

'I don't know', Alan grumbled. 'I'm the youngest. I'm not able to jump as high as—'

'Quit yapping', Tommy said. '**_I'm _**the smallest, and I don't mind. Besides, the ticket might come out on the bottom of the pile, float down low and be in just the right place for the shortest person'.

'All right', Alan said. 'But no shoving'.

'Agreed', Darren stated. 'No rough stuff'.

'Agreed', Tommy nodded. As Steve put the lid on the lunch box I moved to stand beside him. He gave it a good long shake.

'Get ready', he told them. They all stood back from Steve in a row. Tommy and Alan side by side while Darren stood back a little bit. 'Ok', Steve said. 'I'll throw everything in the air on the count of three. All set?' they all nodded. 'One', Steve started as I saw Alan wipe the sweat from his forehead and I smiled. 'Two', he continued as I watched Tommy's fingers twitch. 'Three', Steve shouted, ripped the lid off of the box and threw everything in the air.

I gaped as I watched everybody jump, everybody but Darren. He was just standing there; eyes closed and his arms in the air, hands wide open. I watched the paper float in and around his hand and watched his hand twitch a couple of times before he scrunched his hand into a fist around a piece of paper.

Tommy and Alan were on the floor searching around for the ticket, it was till they looked up confused that I turned my sights back on Darren. His eyes were open now, staring straight at me, hand still clenched.

'It's not here', Tommy exclaimed.

'I can't find it anywhere', Alan yelled. They had stopped searching and looked up at Darren. He was still standing there, eyes on me, hands clenched tight around a piece of paper.

'What's in your hands, Darren?' Steve asked softly. Darren just stared at him.

'He doesn't have it', Tommy said. 'He can't have. He had his eyes shut'.

'Maybe so', Steve said, 'but there's **_something_** in those fists of his'.

'Open them', Alan said giving Darren a shove, 'Let's see what your hiding'. Darren looked at Alan, then Tommy, from Steve to me. And then very slowly he opened his right fist. Nothing. I watched his face drop as Tommy and Alan smiled and fell over each other to search the ground again.

'What about the other hand?' Steve asked. Darren looked at his left hand as he brought it down. He opened just as slowly as he had the other one, and smack dab in the middle of his flat palm was a bit of scrunched green paper.

Before anybody could register what was happening, Darren shouted out in happiness and began to jump around the place screaming. He even picked me up and spun me around before kissing me roughly. He had got the ticket.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The tickets were for the Saturday show, which was a good thing, because it gave Darren time to ask his parents about staying at Steve's. I was going to meet them at Cirque Du Freak.

'So who are your friends?' Mr Tall asked me as I sighed. I had been driving Mr. Crepsley crazy, so he had sent me to annoy Mr. Tall.

'Darren and Steve, I think Steve might know what I am', I paniced as Mr. Tall chuckled at me.

'The only way the infantile boy could possibly know you're a half-vampire is if you told him, and you haven't have you?' he asked me as I shook my head.

'No', I sighed heavily as he patted me on the back.

'Then don't worry about it, just go and help people get ready, maybe help Truska?' Mr. Tall suggested as I nodded and got out of his hair, talking to Truska, although getting no reply.

It was getting late, so I bid goodbye to Truska and made my way out of the old theatre and waited outside for the guys to come. And come did they ever, they arrived panting.

'Have fun?' I shivered as I walked up and gave Darren a kiss.

'We had to run the last kilometre or so', Steve huffed as Darren draped his arm over my shoulder.

'Shall we?' Darren yawned as Steve led the way inside. We found ourselves standing in a long, dark, cold corridor. I had no jacket, so I shivered slightly.

'Why is it so cold?' Darren asked us, 'It was warm outside'.

'Old houses are like that'; Steve answered. We started to walk. There was a light down by the other end, so the further in we got, the brighter it became. The walls were scratched and scribbled-on, and bits of the ceiling were flaky. It was a creepy place. It would've been pretty bad, but I knew my way around the place and knew that nothing was going to jump out at us, so I was rather calm.

'There's a door here', Steve said and stopped. He pushed it ajar and it creaked loudly. It contained stairs that led up to the balcony. Steve stuck his head in and said nothing for a few seconds before ripping his head back out like something had shocked him. 'It's the stairs up to the balcony'.

'Where the kid fell from?' Darren asked and I looked from Steve to Darren.

'What kid?' I asked slightly curious.

'Well, they closed the theatre down because a little boy fell of that balcony right there. They say he haunts this place still', Steve smirked as he tried to freak me out. I pretended to shiver and freaked out, just to give Steve the reaction he wasn't expecting from me.

'Do you think we should go up?' Darren asked, as I clung to him.

Steve shook his head. 'I don't think so, it's dark up there, no sign of any sort of light. We'll try it if we can't find another way in, but I think.— '

'Can I help you boys?' somebody said behind us and we nearly jumped out of our skins.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I turned around and smiled at Mr. Tall as he winked at me just before the boys turned around, 'Oh and girl'. I watched Darren and Steve as they looked at Mr. Tall from head to foot and then between each other.

'Isn't it rather late for two little boys and a little girl like yourselves to be out and about?' Mr. Tall asked as I tried my hardest not to smile.

'We…' Steve began before stopping to lick his lips, 'We're here to see the Cirque Du Freak'.

'Are you?' Mr. Tall said with a smile playing on his lips, 'Do you have tickets?'

'Yes', Steve said, showing his.

'Very good', Mr. Tall muttered, 'How about you, Darren? Do you have a ticket?'

'Yes', Darren replied reaching into his pocket, before randomly stopping. I had to stare at Mr. Tall sternly trying so hard not to laugh at the two boys beside me acting like girls.

'My names Mr. Tall', he said, 'I own the Cirque Du Freak'.

'How did you know my friends name?' Steve asked bravely. Mr. Tall laughed and I smiled slightly as he bent down and came level with Steve.

'I know lots of things', he said softly, 'I know your names. I know where you live. I know you don't like your mummy or your daddy'. He turned on Darren. 'I know you didn't tell your parents you were coming here. And I know how you won your ticket'.

'How?' I asked as Darren seemed to have teeth chatter syndrome.

'We must hurry', Mr Tall said looking at me with a soft smile before turning around and leading the way down the rest of the corridor. 'The show is about to begin; everybody else is present and seated. You are late, boys. Your lucky we didn't start with out you'. I wasn't surprised as we turned the corner to find Mr. Tall seated at a table down another corridor, in different clothing.

'Tickets, please', he said, reaching out and taking our tickets, opening his mouth and placing them on his oversized tongue before chewing them to pieces. 'Very well', he started, 'you may go in. we normally don't welcome children, but I can see you two are fine, courageous young men, and that you can look after Miss Carter here. We'll make an exception'.

'Do we walk straight on?' Steve asked, nodding towards two blue curtains drawn together at the end of the corridor.

'Of course', Mr Tall nodded firmly.

'Isn't there a lady with a torch?' Darren asked as I reach down and held his hand.

'If you want someone to hold your hand…' Mr Tall laughed, 'You should've brought a baby-sitter'.

'All right', Darren snapped, getting angry, 'If that's the way it is…' he rushed forward quickly, pulling me along with him as I looked back at Mr Tall and winked. We had walked straight into another corridor. This time Darren was a little hesitant about storming forward.

'Do you think it's safe?' he asked as I smiled softly.

'I think it's safer to go forward then backward', Steve stuttered as I held a snicker back.

'Do you think Mr Tall would like it if we turned back?' I asked, playing the innocent scared girlfriend. Steve stared at me, not falling for my act.

'How do you think he knew all that stuff about us?' Darren asked, looking from me to Steve.

'He must be able to read minds', Steve replied.

'Oh', Darren said, 'He nearly scared the life out of me'. Steve and I smiled and nodded in agreement.

'Me too', Steve agreed. Then we stepped forward.

The room behind the curtains was huge. The chairs had been ripped out of the theatre long ago, but deck chairs had been set up in their place. We looked around for spare seats. The entire theatre was packed, but we were the only children there. I could feel people watching us and whispering.

The only spaces were in the fourth row from the front. We had to step over a lot of legs to get there and people were grumbling. When we sat down, we realised they were good seats, because we were right in the middle and nobody tall was sitting in front of us. We had a perfect view of the stage and could see everything.

'Do you think they sell popcorn?' Darren asked seriously as I snickered slightly.

'At a freak show?' Steve snorted. 'Get real! They might sell snake eggs and lizard eyes, but I'll bet you anything you like they don't sell popcorn.

The people in the theatre were a mixed bunch. Some were dressed stylishly, others in tracksuits. Some were as old as the hills, others just a few years older than Darren, Steve and me. Some chatted confidently to their companions and behaved as thought at a football match, others sat quietly in their chairs and gazed around nervously.

What everyone shared was a look of excitement. I could see it in their eyes, the same light that was shining and Darren and Steve's eyes. They all somehow knew that they were in for something special, the like of which they had never seen before.

A load of trumpets blew and the whole place went quiet. The trumpets blew for ages and ages, getting louder and louder, and every light went out until the theatre was pitch black. I shivered slightly as it got colder and looked over at Darren who looked slightly scared. Steve on the other hand was gaping around.

The trumpets stopped and my ears rang slightly. Somewhere high up in the theatre, someone switched on a green light and the stage lit up. It looked eerie! But that was the way I had helped set it up. For a little while, nothing happened, that was until two men came on stage pulling a cage. When they got to the middle of the stage they stopped, dropped the ropes and ran back into the wings.

For a few seconds more – silence. Then the trumpets blew again, three short blasts. The rug came flying off the cage and the first freak was revealed.

That was when the screaming began.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

There was no need for screaming. The thing inside the cage was quite shocking, but he was chained up inside the cage. I think the people who screamed either did it for fun, or were actually physically scared of the Wolf-man.

He was very ugly, hair all over his body. He only wore a piece of cloth around his middle, like Tarzan, so we could see his hair legs, belly, back and arms. He had a long bushy beard, which covered most of his face. His eyes were yellow and his teeth were red.

He shook the bars of the cage and roared; it was pretty frightening. Lots more people screamed when he roared. I nearly screamed myself, except I knew the Wolf-man and he wasn't like this because he chose to, he couldn't help himself.

The Wolf-man went on shaking the bars and jumping about, before calming down. I smiled widely as he sat down like the dog's do, and Mr. Tall walked on stage and spoke.

'Ladies and Gentleman', he started, stretching his arms out wide, 'welcome to the Cirque Du Freak, home of the worlds most remarkable human beings.

'We are an ancient circus'; he went on. 'We have toured for five hundred years, bringing the grotesque to generation after generation. Our line-up has changed many times, but never out aim, which is to astound and terrify you! We present both acts both frightening and bizarre, acts you can find nowhere else in the world.

'Those who are easily scared, should leave now', he warned. 'I'm sure there are people who came tonight thinking this was a joke. Maybe they thought our freaks would be people in masks, or harmless misfits. _This is not so! _Every act you see tonight is real. Each performer is unique, and non-are harmless'.

That was the end of his speech and he walked off stage. Two pretty women in shiny suits came on next and unlocked the door of the Wolf-man's cage. A few people looked scared, but nobody left. The Wolf-man was yapping and howling when he first came out of the cage, until one of the ladies hypnotised him with her fingers. The other lady spoke to the crowd.

'You must be very quiet', she said in a foreign accent. 'The Wolf-man will not be able to hurt you as long as we control him but a loud sound could wake him up, and then he would be _deadly_!'

When they were ready, they stepped down from the stage and walked the hypnotised Wolf-man through the theatre. His hair was a dirty grey colour and he walked with a stoop, fingers hanging down around his knees. The ladies stayed by his side and warned people to be quiet. They let you stroke him when he went by but I was afraid he might wake up and bight me, so I didn't.

'What did it feel like?' I asked, as quietly as I could.

'It was spiky', Steve replied, 'Like a hedgehog'. He lifted his fingers to his nose and sniffed. 'It smells strange too, like burning rubber'.

The Wolf Man and ladies were about halfway down the rows of seats when there was a big BANG! I don't know what made the noise but suddenly the Wolf Man began roaring and he shoved the ladies away from him.

People screamed and those nearest him leapt from their seats and ran. One woman wasn't quick enough, and the Wolf Man leapt on her and dragged her to the ground. She was screaming fit to burst, but nobody tried to help her. He rolled her over onto her back and bared his teeth. She stuck a hand up to push him away, but he got his teeth on it and _bit it off!_

A couple of people fainted when they saw that and loads more began yelling and running. Then, out of nowhere, Mr Tall whispered something in his ear and he relaxed. While Mr Tall led him back to the stage, the women in the suits calmed down the crowd and told them to return to their seats.

While the crowd hesitated, the women with the bitten-off hand went on screaming. Blood was pumping out the end of her wrist, covering the ground and other people. Darren, Steve and I were all staring at her, mouths wide open, wondering if she was going to die.

Mr. Tall returned from the stage, picked up the severed hand and gave a loud whistle. Two people in the blue robes with hoods over their heads ran forward. They were short, not much bigger than Darren or Steve, but with thick arms and legs, lots of muscles. Mr. Tall sat the woman down and whispered something in her ear. She stopped screaming and sat still.

Mr. Tall took hold of the wrist, then reached into his pocket and took out a small brown leather pouch. He opened it with his free hand and sprinkled a sparkly pink powder on to the bleeding wrist. Then he stuck the hand against it and nodded to the two people in the blue suits. They produced a pair of needles and loads of orange string. And then, to the amazement of Everybody in the theatre, apart from myself, they started to stitch the hand back on the wrist!

The people in the blue robes stitched for five or six minutes. The woman didn't feel any pain, even though their needles were going in and out of her flesh, all the way around the wrist. When finished, they put their needles and unused thread away and returned to wherever they'd come from. Their hoods never slipped from their faces, and I could see Steve watching them intently. When they'd gone, Mr. Tall let go of the woman's hand and stepped back.

'Move your fingers', he said. The woman stared at him blankly. 'Move your fingers!' he said again, and this time she gave them a wiggle.

They moved!

Everybody gasped. The women stared at the fingers as though she didn't believe they were real. She gave them another wiggle. Then she stood and lifted the hand above her head. She shook it as hard as she could, and it was as good as new! You could see the stitches but there was no more blood and the fingers seemed to be working fine.

'You will be Okay', Mr. Tall told her. 'The stitches will fall our after a couple of days. It will be fine after that'.

'Maybe that's not good enough!' someone shouted, and a big red-faced man stepped forward. 'I'm her husband', he said, 'and I say we should go to a doctor and then the police! You can't let a wild animal like that out into a crowd! What if he'd bitten her head off?'

'Then she would be dead', Mr. Tall said calmly.

'Listen, buster', the husband began but Mr. Tall interrupted.

'Tell me, sir', Mr. Tall said, 'Where were _you _when the wolf man was attacking?'

'Me?' the man asked.

'Yes', Mr. Tall said. 'You are her husband. You were sitting beside her when the beast escaped. Why did you not leap to her rescue?'

'Well, I… There as no time… I couldn't… I wasn't…'

No matter what he said, the husband couldn't win, because there was only one true answer: he had been running away, looking after himself.

'Listen to me', Mr. Tall said. ' I give fair warning. I said this show could be dangerous. This is not a nice, safe circus where nothing goes wrong. Mistakes can and do happen, and sometime people end up a lot worse off than your wife. That's why this show is banned. That's why we must play in old theatres in the middle of the night. Most of the time, things go smoothly and nobody gets hurt. But we cannot guarantee your safety'.

Mr. Tall turned around in a circle and seemed to look everybody in the eye while turning. 'We cannot guarantee _anybody's_ safety', he roared. 'Another accident like this is unlikely but it _could_ happen. Once again I say, if you are afraid, leave. Leave now, before it is too late!'

A few people did leave. But most stayed to see the rest of the show, even the woman who nearly lost her hand.

'Do you want to go?' I heard Darren whisper to Steve, but Steve's eyes were alight with fire, he was enjoying this to no end.

'Are you crazy?' Steve replied. 'This is great! _You_ don't want to go, do you?'

'No way!' Darren chuckled. 'Do you want to go?' Darren asked me as I smiled and shook my head.

'As long as you're here, I'm fine', I smiled as he just smiled back before turning his attention back to the stage. I sat there watching him and I knew he was regretting saying to Steve that he wanted to stay, but he was going to sit it out now because I said I wanted to stay. Poor Darren.


End file.
